MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope

根据主要研究仪器项目的这份合同，田纳西理工大学将获得一台带有能量色散光谱（EDS）附件的可变压力扫描电子显微镜和辅助样品制备设备，用于多学科综合研究和教育。该仪器将为工程学院、艺术与科学学院和田纳西理工大学的三个国家资助的卓越中心的所有部门提供核心设施。以下领域的具体正在进行的研究或建议的研究将会受益：(1)硅酸盐水泥中废材料水化动力学，(2)固体掺杂源控制硼在硅上的沉积，(3)断口观察测定断裂韧性，(4)疲劳裂纹前缘演化跟踪，(5)微机电（MEMS）器件现场力学测试，(6)Laves相点缺陷与断裂力学，(7)金属间合金环境脆化，(8)固体氧化物燃料电池中互连材料的新型涂层，(9)军团菌与原生动物的营养相互作用，（10）原生动物与分枝杆菌的相互作用，（11）原生动物群落结构，（12）微化石的鉴定与表征。新设施还将用于为本科生和研究生增加现有的实验室机会，进一步发展正在进行的美国国家科学基金会资助的课程课程和实验室改进项目，并促进与当地小学和高中的更多互动。田纳西理工大学（TTU）将从主要研究仪器项目中获得这一奖项，获得一台带有能量色散光谱附件的可变压力扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和辅助样品制备设备，用于多学科综合研究和教育。TTU通过提供高排名的地区大学环境为田纳西州和周边各州提供服务。因此，TTU的教师主要参与为地区工业界服务的应用研究。收购仪器，如拟议中的扫描电子显微镜，使TTU能够通过提供最先进的设施来培训学生，为工业成分进行应用研究，并吸引和开展基础研究，从而实现其对社区的使命和义务。新的SEM将成为支持TTU广泛的正在进行和未来的跨学科研究和教育活动的核心设施。目前的研究项目包括波特兰水泥废物的利用，先进燃料电池应用材料的开发，金属和陶瓷机械行为的基础研究，病原体-细胞相互作用的微生物学和单细胞动物行为以及微化石的研究。新设施还将用于为本科生和研究生增加现有的实验室机会，进一步发展正在进行的美国国家科学基金会资助的课程课程和实验室改进项目，并促进与当地小学和高中的更多互动。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Tennessee Technological University will acquire acquire a variable pressure scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) attachment and ancillary sample preparation equipment for multidisciplinary, integrated research and education. The instrument will provide a core facility for all departments in the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences and Tennessee Technological University's three State funded Centers of Excellence. Specific ongoing research or proposed research in the following areas will benefit: (1) hydration kinetics of waste materials in portland cement, (2) controlled deposition of boron on silicon from solid dopant sources, (3) fracture toughness determination by fractographic observation, (4) fatigue crack front evolution tracking, (5) in situ mechanical testing of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices, (6) point defect and fracture mechanics of Laves phases, (7) environmental embrittlement of intermetalic alloys, (8) novel coatings for interconnect materials in solid oxide fuel cells, (9) trophic interactions between Legionella and protozoa, (10) interactions of protozoa and mycobacteria species, (11) community structure of protozoa, and (12) identification and characterization of microfossils. The new facility will also be used to enhance existing laboratory opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, further develop ongoing NSF funded Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement projects and promote greater interaction with local area elementary and high schools.With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Tennessee Technological University (TTU) will acquire acquire a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectroscopy attachment and ancillary sample preparation equipment for multidisciplinary, integrated research and education. TTU serves Tennessee and the surrounding states by providing a highly ranked regional university environment. As such, the TTU faculty is primarily involved in applied research serving the regional industrial community. The acquisition of instruments, such as the proposed scanning electron microscope, enables TTU to achieve its mission and obligation to this community by providing state-of-the-art facilities to train students, to conduct applied research for industrial constituents and to attract and conduct basic research. The new SEM is to be a core facility in support of a wide range of ongoing and future interdisciplinary research and educational activities at TTU. Current research programs include utilization of waste in portland cement, development of materials for advanced fuel cell applications, fundamental studies regarding the mechanical behavior of metals and ceramics, microbiology of pathogen-cell interactions and single cell animal behavior and investigation of microfossils. The new facility will also be used to enhance existing laboratory opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, further develop ongoing NSF funded Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement projects and promote greater interaction with local area elementary and high schools.